Superstitions

Saddle up, partners. It’s time for another Hardball Mystery.

We’ve heard them all before: Don’t talk to a pitcher when he’s got a no-hitter going. Don’t step on the foul line. Grow a ‘70s mustache and wear a golden thong underneath your uniform to snap out of a slump.

(I’ll pause now and let you shutter in disgust at that mental image.)

Baseball is full of superstitions, ranging from the slightly ridiculous to the downright absurd. With most of our mysteries, we ask “why is that?” But with these superstitions, we already know the player’s non-sensical answer: “because it helps.”

So, instead of trying to figure out why baseball players perform these ludicrous routines, let’s just sit back and enjoy some of the more entertaining, player-specific superstitions that have graced the ball field over the years.


Frank Viola: During the 1987 season, Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Frank Viola noticed a large banner hanging in the Metrodome that read “Frankie Sweet Music Viola.” It just so happens that whenever that sign was up when Viola pitched, he never lost. That season, he went 15-0 with four no decisions (all Twins victories) in games with the banner. The creator of the banner, Mark Dornfield, introduced himself to Viola during the season, and the two got along quite well. When the Twins made the World Series, Viola found out that Dornfield did not have tickets, so Viola’s wife called the fan and offered him tickets to Games 1 and 7.

Viola won both games and was named World Series MVP.


Mike Hargrove: Before he became a manager, Mike Hargrove was known for his batter’s box quirks as a player. Before each at-bat, Hargrove would walk up the first base line and take three practice swings before stepping into the box. After each pitch, he would perform a painfully-long routine that involved re-strapping his batting gloves, fixing his pants and his sleeves, wiping his mouth, and pushing down the top of his batting helmet before stepping back in.

Because of this, Hargrove was dubbed “The Human Rain Delay.”

Roger Clemens: Forget the steroids, this guy has other problems. Besides wiping the Babe’s plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium before starting a game, Roger also decided to name his children after his favorite baseball stat: the strikeout. I’m sure Koby, Kory, Kacy, and Kody are thrilled. (Editor’s Note: Together, they personify a “golden sombrero.”

But how about this for foreshadowing: Clemens struck out his 4,000th batter on the same day that he won his 300th game. What was the date? June 13, 2003. Friday the 13th. I think we can scientifically say that’s where everything started to go downhill.

Larry Walker: Former Expos/Rockies/Cardinals outfielder Larry Walker was known for being a five-tool player. But if it were up to him, he would probably rather be known as a three-tool player. That’s because Walker has a serious obsession with the number three. He sets his alarm for 33 minutes past the hour, takes practice swings in multiples of three, wears No. 33, was married on November 3 at 3:33 p.m., and bought tickets for 33 disadvantaged kids when he played in Montreal (to be seated in Section 333 at Olympic Stadium.)

"For some people, it might be a superstition," Walker told the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel in 1997. "For me, it's an obsession."

Wade Boggs: Boggs always ate chicken before a game. He always took 150 grounders during infield drills. He always took batting practice at 5:17. He always drew the Hebrew word “chai” (meaning “life”) in the batter’s box with his bat before stepping up to the plate (even though he’s not Jewish). He always stepped on first, second, then third base before taking exactly two steps in the coach’s box then four steps to get to the dugout before a game.

Then there’s the legend that Boggs drank 64 beers on a cross-country flight while playing for the Red Sox…but that’s another blog entirely.

Turk Wendell: This guy trumps them all. The sheer volume of ridiculous eccentricities that Wendell had makes it impossible to detail them all. Here’s just a few of his more famous ones:

-Brushing his teeth between innings
-Chewing four pieces of black licorice while pitching
-Tipping his hat to the centerfielder and waiting for the centerfielder to tip his hat back to him before pitching (one of his college games was delayed almost 10 minutes because the center fielder forgot to tip his cap to Wendell)
-Wearing a necklace at all times that consisted of teeth from animals he had hunted
-Sprinted off the field between innings and leapt (or kangaroo hopped) over the foul line
-Standing while the catcher was squatting, and squatting while the catcher was standing

Congratulations, Turk Wendell. You win.

But if you ask me, when you believe in things that you don't understand and you suffer...superstition ain't the way.

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What are some of the wacky superstitions you’ve heard about or seen in your day? Click over to the “Comments” section and let us know.